Why is margin that high on VIX calendars?

[Overnight]

This is not just about the margin, but about keeping ignorant people away from trading dangerous stuff without understanding it. Some brokers lost $millions by allowing people to trade VIX calendars:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123695294636919681

That article is from 2009. Really?

 

[guru]

Just checked and similar VIX calendar would've lost $4K last year, on a $0.60 calendar option trade:

 

[guru]

That article is from 2009. Really?

What has changed with VIX since 2009 besides VIX working the same way it always did, while brokers being smarter, and the SEC imposing more safety requirements and smaller leverage on everything?

And really what's the point of trading something that inherently loses money?